Marine torch.



No. 647,6l0. Patented Apr. I7, |900.

W. H. RUSE G. R. HOLMES.

MARINE TORCH.

(Application led Aug. 2, 1899.)

(Ho Model.)

Param* Fries.

VINILLIAM H. ROSE AND GWYLLYM R. HOLMES, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND,

ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE MARINE TORCH COM- PANY OFBALTIMORE CITY, OF MARYLAND. l

MARINE 'roam-1.A

SPEcIrIcATIoN forminggat of Letters rate-nt No. 647,610, dated Aprilv17, 1960.

AApplication led August `Z, lilfV 4To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. ROSE and GWYLLYM R. HOLMES, citizensof the United States, residing at the city of Baltimore, in the State ofMaryland, have invented certain new p and useful Improvements in MarineTorches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention consists in a marine torch adapted to ignitespontaneously and to pro- Io duce a brilliant light when thrown into thewater and to .reignite quickly and repeatedly should it becometemporarily submerged or extinguished by any othercause'.

AThe invention comprises a loatable shell i 5 havinga compartment forcarbid of calcium or othergas-producing substance or illuminatin'ggas, asuitable-burner or burners, and a pilot-light or igniting deviceconsisting of a holder or compartment charged with phoszo phid ofcalcium. v

The invention will be described in detail in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a'shell in its completed condition, hermetically sealed and adapted to bestored for an indefinite pe' riod, -parts of,the closures being brokenaway.- Fig. 2 is a plan view of the shell with the end diaphragm orcover removedv t`o expose the 3o burners. Fig. 3 is a central sectionalview taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.' 2, and' Fig. 4 is a View of amodified form.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a shell of suitable size andshape for the pur- 3 5 pose for which the torch is intended. Shellswhich are intended to be red from a gun in naval warfare or inconnection with lifesaving operations are preferably cylindrical, suchas that illustrated. Shells for other purposes, 4o which are to bethrown into the water by hand, maybe of other forms, such as rectangularor spherical, if desired. The shell is preferably constructed with acarbid-com-l Serial No'. 725,906. (No model.)

Vwhich will permit water to yenter and refuse to be discharged. Asshown, it is contained in a basket 5, of wire-netting, which is retainedin place by lianges 6 and.7. f.

Several small inlets 8 are provided in the wall of the air-'chamber 4 topermit water to enter upon the carbid when the shell is thrown into abody of water. To preventthe carbid from deteriorating, when stored, byexpos-ure to the atmosphere, the openings 8 are temporarily sealed by asuitableclosure, which can be quickly removed when it is desired to usethe shell. As shown in Fig. 1, the openings are sealed bya band 9',which can be stripped olf quickly. Instead of 'the band separate piecesmight be soldered or`` otherwise fastened over the holes.

At the upper end of the air-chamber 3 is a diaphragm or top plate 10, inwhich are a series of burners 11, suitable for burning acetylenesuitable in itselfto produce a light which isY valuable for illuminatingpurposes, is admirably adapted to ignite illuminating-gas and that itwill reignitethe gas many times and for a/suit'ablep'eriod of time, asis required when a shell is repeatedly submerged at seaV 'n roughweather. As shown in Figs. 2 and the phosphid of calcium is contained ina vessel. or compartment l2, which is fastened in a recess or depression13 in the top10 of theshell, the top of the vessel 12 being about on alevel with said diaphragm 10.

lThe vessel 12 when in use is provided with an opening 14, through whichwater can en` ter and gas escape. To prevent the escape of the lumpsfofphosphid, a suitable' network or grating 13 is placed across the opening14. vTo prevent the phosphid from deteriorating prior to the use of theshell, the

opening v14 is -hcrmeticall'y sealed in such manner that .it can be'quickly opened. As shown, it is sealed by a metal disk 16, securelysoldered to the top of the vessel l2 and provided with astrap or handle17, by means of which it can be torn olf. The vessel 12 is securely heldin the recess 13 by clam ps 1S or other suitable-means'. v

The opening. 14, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is at one side of thephosphid vessel and close to a burner'11, which is preferably somewhatlower than the burners 11'. The relative arrangement of the phosphidvessel to the burners may be varied considerably, the only essentialfeature being that the opening through which the gas issues from thephosphid vessel must be adjacent to the burners and near enough toignite the gas issuing therefrom. i

We preferably arrange a flange 19 about the burners, which flange may bean extension of the shell 1. 'This flange serves to preserve the burnerswhen the shell is fired from a gun, the usual method of iring being toplace a firing-block 2O against the flange. The strain of iiring is thustransmitted to the sides of the shell. Openings 2l are provided at thebase ofthe flange, so that Water lnay drain-out. Another office of theflange is to hold s'ome Water temporarily as the shell rises after beingsubmerged to in sure suicient Water getting into the phosphid vessel.

The entire shell should be hermetically sealed until it is to be use toprevent deterioration of the carbid andphosphid by absorption ofmoisture from the atmosphere. The water-openings may be sealed, as abovedescribed, and the openings 21 and the top of the shell may be'sealed bya suitable cover 22, the fiange 23 of which may be rendered air-tight.by a band 24, soldered to the shell and adapted to betorn off whenltheshell isto be used.

In Fig. 4 .we have shown a phosphid ves. sel 25, surroundingand attachedto a burner j 26, which is screwed into the top 10 of the shell 1. Thephosphid vessel in this case has lan inner cover 27, having an opening28, The inner cover is preferably dished to direct a sufficient amountof` Water into the vessel. .The phosphid is prevented from falling outby suitable networkl 29. TheL phosphid vessel is also provided With atemporary outer cover 30, which is air-tight andwhich can be removedwhen the shell is to ,bei used.v In Fig. 4 we have shown a small'shell3l, which canbe thrown into the Water byhand.4 This shellWmaybe providedwith additional burners, if desired.

While we have described a shell having a chamber 3 for air or gas torender the same I buoyant, it will be evident' that the shell' may beioated by, other means, such as a surrounding belt of cork Aor otherlight material. It will also be evident that in'some casesthc Ashell maybe charged with compressed or liq.-

uefied gas instead of carbid of calcium and an arrangement made foropening or puncturing the gas-chamber to permit the gas to pass to theburners just before launching the shell in the water. r

Inthe foregoing specification we have described the best embodiment ofour invention at present known to us. We do not, however, limitourselves to the details of construction and arrangement illustrated`and described, as such details are of minor importance. The essentialfeature of `the invention is anlapparatus adapted to fioat in water,comprising a compartment charged with carbid of calcium or otherilluminating material, one or more burn/ers for the illuminant, and apilot-light consisting of a second and relatively-small colnpartmentcharged with phosphid of calcium and so constructed and arranged that itwill be charged with water when submerged and will discharge itsself-igniting gas sufciently close to the -burner or burners to ignitethe illuminant.

Having described our invention, what We claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. A marine torch comprising a 'loatablc sh'ell having a compartmentcharged with illuminating material, a burner communicating with saidcompartment, and apilot-light for the burner consisting of a secondcompartment charged with phosphid of calcium, the saidphosphid-compartment having an opening adjacent to the .burnerand beingadapted to receive a charge of Water, for the purpose set forth. l

2.- A marine torch comprising a iioatable shell having a compartmentcharged with carbid of calcium, a gas-burner in communica: tionwith saidcompartment, and a pilot-light for said burner comprising arelatively-small cium, said phosphid-compartment having an openingadjacent to the burner, and means for admitting water to thecarbid-compartment and the pilot-light when the shell is submerged, forthe purpose set forth.

3. A marine torch comprising a oatable shell having a compartmentcharged with carbid of calcium and having openings to admit water to thesaid carbid-compartment when the shell is partially submerged, agasburner communicating with the carbid-compartment, and a pilot-lightfor said burner comprising a compartment charged with phosphid ofcalcium, said phosphid-compartment having an opening adjacent to theburner, and means for temporarily sealing the carbid and phosphidcompartments from communiset forth.

compartment charged with phosphid of calcation with the atmosphere, forthe purpose IOO IIO

4. rA marine torch comprising a shell haveating With saidcarbid-chamber, and a pilotlight adjacent to the burner comprising acompartment charged with phosphid of calcium, for the purpose. setforth.

5. A marine torch comprising a floatable shell having a compartmentcharged with carbid of calcium,a gas-burner in communication with saidcompartment, and a second compartment or chamber charged with phosphidxo of calcium, said carbid and phosphid compartments having openingsthrough which water may enter when the shell is submerged, for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof We afx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. ROSE. GWYLLYM R. HOLMES. Witnesses: y

EDWARD B. AMBLER,

MILES W. Ross.

